Septal Cholinergic/GABAergic Pathways and Memory

9514557沃尔什 神经科学中一个令人兴奋但尚未解决的问题是动物如何获得和储存记忆。 对于哺乳动物来说，有一个确定的部位，海马体，似乎是记忆处理发生的地方。 这个部位的结构和功能是已知的一些细节，但控制海马神经元功能的输入的性质在很大程度上是未知的。 大脑的输入区域之一，内侧隔，包含投射到海马体并控制海马体的神经元。 内侧隔膜出现 到 整合皮质下信息的“生物学意义” 集 或 事件和 反过来 调制 海马体对其主要皮层输入的反应。 隔神经元释放两种类型的神经递质分子，乙酰胆碱和GABA，其调节 海马神经元的生理学以及海马与记忆相关的功能。 通过该奖项的资助进行的研究检查了与记忆空间位置相关的特定类型学习中涉及的神经递质和大脑回路。 其中一组实验旨在研究特定位点的操作是否 的 不同 分子 在内侧隔中的苯二氮受体（苯二氮受体）将改变隔神经元和记忆过程的活性。 在其他实验中，进行测试以确定隔内注射的生理机制。 受体阻断剂药物（氟马西尼）增强投射到海马体的神经元的活性并增加工作记忆。 这些研究应该能让我们更好地了解控制哺乳动物记忆的特定脑回路和神经化学机制。 期望的是，这样一个详细的了解一个特定类型的学习在一个特定的网站将有助于重要的一般 了解动物是如何学习的，并记住它们学到的东西。

9514557 Walsh An exciting, unresolved question in neuroscience is how animals acquire and store memories. For mammals there is an identified site, the hippocampus, at which memory processing appears to occur. The structure and function of this site is known in some detail, however the nature of the inputs that control the functioning of hippocampal neurons is largely unknown. One of the input brain regions, the medial septum, contains neurons that project to and control the hippocampus. The medial septum appears to integrate subcortical information about the 'biological significance' of episodes or events and in turn modulate the responsiveness of the hippocampus to its primary, cortical input. Septal neurons release two types of neurotransmitter molecules, acetylcholine and GABA, which modulate the physiology of hippocampal neurons and hence the memory- related functions of the hippocampus. Studies conducted through funding by this award examine the neurotransmitters and brain circuits involved in a specific type of learning related to remembering a position in space. One set of experiments is designed to examine whether site-specific manipulations of different molecular receptors (benzodiazepine receptors), in the medial septum, will alter the activity of septal neurons and of memory processes. In other experiments, tests are conducted to determine the physiological mechanisms through which intraseptal injection of a receptor blocker drug (flumazenil) enhances the activity of neurons that project to the hippocampus and increases working memory. These studies should provide a better understanding of specific brain circuits and neurochemical mechanisms that control memory in mammals. The expectation is that such a detailed understanding of a specific type of learning at a specific site will contribute importantly to a general understanding of how animals learn, and remember what they learn.